


Viros et Magicae

by Ravenhoot



Series: Illusion and Devotion [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 15:38:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12844254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenhoot/pseuds/Ravenhoot
Summary: Sigyn is betrothed to Theoric but she does not love him. She and Loki have been friends since childhood, but since her return from Vanaheim, it seems their friendship is evolving into something more.Set in the MCU before the events of the first Thor movie.This story is mostly fluff. I needed a feel good Loki/Sigyn story in my life when I wrote this.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: Title is Latin for Mischief and Magic

“LOKI!!!”

Thor’s bellow echoed in the cavernous throne room.

A teenage boy peeked from behind his mother’s skirts. He was sinewy and pale with hair blacker than a raven’s wings. He wore a wickedly mischievous grin that extended up into his shamrock green eyes. He was only a head shorter than his mother and yet he still hid behind her like he did when he was a small boy. 

Frigga turned to look at her younger son with a bemused expression and asked, “What have you done now, my son?”

“Honestly, mother, it was nothing. His cape may or may not have somehow turned pink. I swear, I had nothing to do with it.”

“Oh Loki…” She sighed.

Thor appeared in front of them, his face beet red and his cape was indeed violently fuchsia.

Frigga smiled despite herself and with a lazy wave of her hand, Thor’s cloak returned to its natural crimson.

“Now boys, go and amuse yourselves... ah, separately I think,” Frigga ordered her sons.

Thor headed toward the sparring ring to practice with Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, and Sif. Loki made his way to the library. He took the familiar path through the dusty shelves that felt more like home to him than anywhere else. He pulled a particularly old leather-bound volume from the shelf and settled into a well-worn armchair. He had been reading for about a quarter of an hour when he saw her settle into the armchair opposite his. He closed his book after carefully marking the place he'd left off. 

“So… did it work?” She asked eagerly.

His eyes flashed with the same playful expression he’d had in the throne room.

“Oh, you should have seen it! He stormed into the throne room in a tremendous huff and his cape was the brightest pink you’ve ever seen!”

“Ah! What I would have given to be able to see that,” she said.

“I’m sure he’s plotting his revenge now with the Gender Confused Warrior and the Idiots Three,” Loki sniggered.

“Well, you’ll just have to have something planned for when they do. Stay one step ahead of them!” She chuckled.

Loki nodded fervently. Sigyn was his best friend. Her father Iwaldi was the blacksmith for the royal armory, although he spent more time on his home realm of of Vanaheim than he did on Asgard. Her uncle Frey was on the council of the Asgardian court and hoped to groom Sigyn to take his place someday. But her mother Freya had other plans. She was rigid and old fashioned, believing that the royal court was no place for a woman. Sigyn was to be sent back to her home realm of Vanaheim to be trained as a lady and eventually be married off to some noble that would benefit her family's lineage. Sigyn detested the thought of it. Her mother had sent word that she would be coming to collect her this very afternoon.

“How long do you think you’ll be on Vanaheim?”

“If my mother has her way, until I’ve been brainwashed into a respectable lady and she has arranged a frightfully dull marriage for me,” she answered with a disgusted sigh.

“Well, let’s not waste your last few hours on Asgard in the library. I fear you shall spend more time than you’d like in books all too soon, but not ones of your taste. Let’s take a ride through the plains,” Loki suggested.

“Race you to the stables,” Sigyn answered.

 

********************************

 

They arrived at the stables keeled over and clutching their sides from running. Loki bridled and saddled his chestnut stallion while Sigyn chose a well-tempered Appaloosa mare. They started out at a brisk canter until they were clear of the city then spurned their horses into earnest gallops once they reached the open fields.

If she was forced to leave Asgard, Sigyn could not have asked for a better final day to enjoy its splendor. The sun shone dazzlingly with fluffy white clouds dotting the brilliant blue sky. She and Loki dismounted and tied their horses’ bridles to a low hanging tree limb of a magnolia tree close to the lake. They walked leisurely at the edge of the water for a while, Sigyn stopping at one point to pick up a loose jade stone at the water’s edge.

They lied down under the shade of the magnolia tree, fully in bloom. The scent of honeysuckle wafted through the air on a light breeze.

 _Who would ever dream of leaving this place?_   She wondered to herself.

They lay there for hours, talking of their favorite spells Frigga had taught them and laughing about the various pranks Loki had played on Thor and his friends. All too soon, the sky grew dark and it was time to return to the palace. Loki rose first, dusting the loose grass off his breeches and reaching down to offer Sigyn a hand. She accepted, and he pulled her onto her feet. The momentum sent her tipping forward slightly, and she kissed him lightly on the cheek before pulling away shyly.

“I’ll miss you,” she said simply.

“Ah, you’ll forget all about me once you start learning to be a proper _lady_ ,” Loki teased, putting emphasis on the last word.

“Well this _lady_ ,” Sigyn retorted, “is about to outrun you back to the stables.”

Loki liked to think he let her win, but they both knew better. Later that evening, Loki stood with the rest of his family as they bid farewell to Lady Freya and her daughter. Sigyn extended her hand to Loki, who accepted it in a polite handshake. Both Frigga and Freya scowled, as the proper etiquette would have been for Loki to kiss her hand. Before releasing his hand, she pressed the jade stone she had found by the lake into his palm and whispered, “Don’t forget about me.”

Shortly after they departed the palace, the Bifrost Observatory shone like a prism reflecting all the colors of the spectrum as Freya and Sigyn returned to Vanaheim.

It would be nearly two hundred years before they would meet again.


	2. Chapter 2

_Tonight is going to be hel_ , Loki thought.

That evening was the formal banquet to welcome Lady Freya and her daughter, Sigyn Iwaldidottir back to Asgard. Servants were bustling about the palace trying to make everything just so. He would be glad when it was all over and done. He couldn’t even visit the privy without tripping over someone from the palace staff!

He wondered, for about the thousandth time that morning, how much Sigyn had changed. He had heard that during her time on Vanaheim, she had apprenticed with a prominent sorcerer, much to her mother's distaste. This pleased him with the hope that they could discuss magic when he saw her again. He absentmindedly fingered the jade stone in his pocket. He didn’t understand why he thought of her so often or why he'd kept the stupid little rock all these years. They had been close friends in their youth, but there were plenty of acquaintances he’d had from that time that he never spared a second thought for. But somehow, his thoughts always returned to her.

It had been nearly two hundred years since they last saw one another. His round boyish face had elongated, his features more pointed and deliberate. His shamrock green eyes had deepened to emerald. They were worldlier and less impish, but he had not developed the name of God of Mischief for nothing. Anytime he saw the opportunity to play a trick, he seized it. That may have earned him a reputation for being rash and carefree, but he was not in line to become king, so it really didn’t bother him.

King. That was another worry in and of itself. Loki knew as the first born, Thor was going to inherit the throne someday. It wasn’t that he wanted to be king himself. It was simply that he was not confident in his brother’s maturity. He had no doubt his brother would make a fine king… in time. But he was still too young and too impulsive. He sought to solve problems with his hammer instead of his head. He hoped their father would see that and delay Thor’s ascension to the throne for another few centuries.

Loki forced himself back to the present. He was supposed to be dressing for the welcome banquet. He finished fastening his cloak to his armor and hastened to the grand hall. It would not do well for him to be late. As he suspected, Thor was already there, and from his not-so-dulcet tones (which could be heard halfway down the corridor), he was telling anyone who would listen about his latest victory on Alfheim.

Loki caught sight of his mother and moved to stand next to her. Queen Frigga was radiant in a loose flowing chiffon gown of pale gold. She grasped her younger son’s hand and gave it a light squeeze before saying, “A little bird told me that Freya intends to wed her daughter to Theoric.”

“Oh lovely,” Loki said with disdain, “a brainless oaf with the delicacy of a Neanderthal matched with a promising Sorcerer’s apprentice. What a match made in hel.”

“My son, if I didn’t know any better, I would say you sound jealous.” Frigga looked at him with a knowing glance.

Loki scoffed. "Oh please, mother."

Odin Allfather stood beside his queen wearing a shining gold breastplate with a matching eyepatch to cover his missing right eye. Thor, wearing his silver winged helmet and crimson cloak, joined his parents and brother. Odin forcefully tapped the butt of his spear to the floor and the clamor of the room hushed all at once.

In a booming voice, he said, “With glad tidings, we welcome the Lady Freya back to the court of Asgard. And it is with great pleasure that we introduce the Lady Sigyn to the court.”

Freya entered gracefully and stood aside as her daughter stepped up behind her. Sigyn barely looked like the same person that Loki remembered from their youth. She had been beautiful when they were teenagers but now... she was radiant. She wore a sweeping gown of sapphire with a bodice that laced up the back with silver ribbon. Her wheat colored hair was swept over her left shoulder, tied in another silver ribbon, and the soft curls nearly reached her waist.

Loki had to remind himself breathe. When Sigyn reached the head table, she curtsied to the members of the royal family and briefly met his eyes. A slight smirk crossed her lips and she turned to rejoin her mother and uncle. Odin stamped his staff to the floor again and everyone was seated.

After the meal, Loki moved around the room exchanging pleasantries, all while keeping his emerald eyes peeled for a flash of sapphire. She approached him with two glasses of wine and offered him one with a curtsy.

“My Prince,” she said formally.

“Well, it appears that your lessons in becoming a lady were a success,” Loki replied with a tiny wink.

She regarded him for a moment, looked around her to see her mother and uncle both deep in conversation with other nobles, and dropped the haughtiness in her voice. Her forced smile transformed into a warm genuine one. 

"It's so good to see you!"

"I hear you've been learning magic on Vanaheim?"

"A bit. I'm nowhere near as good as you, though."

"Well, of course you're not. I'm me and you're you," Loki countered with a spark dancing behind his eyes. 

Sigyn laughed. Loki never heard such a sweeter sound. 

“Ah, norns, Loki. You haven’t changed a bit!”

“Now that’s not fair! I didn’t have this magnificent helmet before," he said as he pointed to his head. 

Sigyn looked up at his golden horned helm and nearly snorted into her wine glass. _Not at all ladylike_ , he thought. Loki breathed a sigh of relief. All the etiquette lessons in the world couldn’t change her, he realized. She had just learned to become a skilled actress. It seems they had more in common than he thought. He scanned the room and noticed Frigga and Freya both watching from opposite corners of the room.

“We’re being watched,” Loki told her and for appearances, took her left hand in his, brought it to his lips, and gave it a delicate kiss.

“Meet me tonight,” he said, “in the library.”

It wasn’t a question, but his eyes asked it anyway. She tilted her head in the slightest of nods before returning to her mother’s side.

Loki couldn’t help but notice the difference in the mothers’ expressions. Frigga looked delighted while Freya looked furious.

 

********************************

 

Back in his private chambers, Loki released the clasps to his cloak and allowed it to fall to the floor. He removed his armor and wrist cuffs, along with the other accouterments of his formal wear. He swapped his leather pants for casual breeches and a hunter green tunic. The nights were chilly this time of year, so he donned a green and black jack with coat tails that nearly touched the floor with gold around the lining and collar. He chose the pair of boots he felt would make the least amount of noise on the marble library floors.

They hadn’t agreed on a specific time, but Loki knew Sigyn would wait for everyone to retire for the evening before sneaking out to meet him. All the same, he arrived before she did. He made himself comfortable in ‘his’ armchair and passed the time reading a passage about glamour spells. He had been making a good amount of progress but hadn’t quite perfected them yet. He knew Frigga would teach him in an instant, but he preferred to study the method and try it first, then seek her guidance if he needed to.

It must have been nearly midnight by the time he heard footsteps. She rounded the corner of the bookshelves and smiled.

“How did I know this is where I would find you?” She asked. “That chair has to have a permanent imprint of your posterior by now.”

Loki looked up from his book.

"What was that about my posterior?" He smiled devilishly. 

Sigyn made a noise of exasperation in her throat, but was smiling. 

She had changed out of her gown into a more comfortable shift dress in periwinkle blue with a silver belt that was fastened loose enough so it hung from her waist at an angle. Loki couldn't help but notice that it accentuated her hips nicely. She wore her hair loose around her face.

“You wear a lot of blue,” Loki observed. "New favorite color?"

Sigyn made a nearly inaudible sound of disgust.

“Blue and silver. Theoric’s family colors. Freya is about as subtle as a heard of ox. She thinks if I wear his colors, it will draw his attention. I cannot seem to make her understand that I would rather singlehandedly take on a bilgesnipe than draw his attention.”

Loki laughed aloud. It brought him a vicious pleasure to hear her speak of her betrothed with such disdain. They spent the entire evening talking with ease. Loki started to fill her in on Asgardian politics, but it was soon obvious that Freya had been serious about training Sigyn as a lady of the court. Sigyn was possibly better informed about the current goings-on of Asgard than Loki was. So instead, they talked of magic. Loki explained his current task of trying to master glamouring spells while Sigyn shared stories of her apprenticeship.

Soon, the first wisps of pale morning light creeped into the wide library windows and they were forced to dissipate before the library staff caught them. They weren’t trespassing since Loki could go practically anywhere he wanted within the palace, but they would have to do quite a bit of explaining if they were found.

“Meet me again tonight? At the stables?” Loki asked with apprehension. He didn’t want her to think him being too eager.

Sigyn’s eyes answered before her voice could.

“Midnight,” she whispered. He kissed her hand again, as he had done at the banquet, and this time, she felt like her heart might flutter right through her ribcage. She cleared her throat and said, “Goodnight, my Prince.”

Loki shot her a playful grin and said, “Good morning,” before disappearing into the shadows.


	3. Chapter 3

“Sigyn, have you heard a word I’ve said?” Freya asked exasperatedly.

Sigyn roused herself out of her thoughts and back to the present. She and her mother were breaking their fast in the dining area of their suite. Sigyn had been absently twirling her spoon around her bowl of porridge, which had long since gone cold. She had her elbow on the table with her chin resting in the palm of her hand, gazing out of the window.

She had been thinking about Loki and how much he had changed. He had grown taller and leaner. She’d noticed the previous evening during the banquet when he was wearing his ceremonial attire, which was primarily comprised of leathers with strategically placed armor. Then later in the library she had seen the muscles in his arms when he’d replaced a book on a high shelf. He was devastatingly handsome. She shook her head to pull herself from her musing.

“My apologies, mother. My mind was elsewhere. You were saying?”

“Stop daydreaming, Sigyn! You are not a child anymore. Theoric has asked my favor to court you,” Freya said, looking hopeful. 

 _Asked your favor indeed,_  Sigyn thought.  _As if you didn't orchestrate this whole thing yourself. Your acting is terrible, mother._

“That sounds like a statement, not a question,” Sigyn observed.

“That’s because it was. Finish your breakfast and get dressed. He’ll be calling on you at noon. I expect you to be presentable and in an agreeable mood.”

Sigyn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew there was no way around it; after all, her betrothal with Theoric was the whole reason she had returned to Asgard. Abandoning her half-eaten porridge, she stood up to tell the servants to draw her a bath.

“Oh and daughter,” Freya added without so much as looking up, “wear a blue dress.”

"Do I even own any other color now? I had assumed you disposed of all the others," Sigyn snapped.

"Mind your tongue, daughter," Freya responded icily.

Sigyn turned away without another word and made her way to the baths.

 

********************************

 

Thor was pleased. Loki was actually participating in the sparring matches for once. Loki had just finished a match with Sif, narrowly defeating her, which was no easy feat. On occasion, she was a more formidable opponent than Hogun or Fandral. Loki moved to the side of the arena to wipe his brow and quench his thirst when he saw Theoric enter with some of the other Crimson Hawks.

Thor exchanged pleasantries with Odin’s honor guards. Loki heard a snippet of a conversation that piqued his interest.

“Theoric, is it true that you and the Lady Sigyn are betrothed?”

“Yes, tis true,” Theoric answered indifferently.

“You sound less than enthusiastic,” Thor commented.

“Do not misunderstand me. She is comely to be sure, but there are dozens just like her. I see not why she is any more special than the lot of them. Still, our union will secure her family’s seat on the council, which seems important to her mother. So she’s as good as any, I suppose,” Theoric answered.

 _Fool,_ thought Loki. _You see her as a nameless face in a crowd, not the incandescent jewel that she is. You care not for who your lady wife is, so long as she suits your political agenda and looks good on your arm. She deserves so much more than the likes of you._

Loki had heard enough. He hastily stowed his daggers in their sheaths and stole away before Thor could notice his absence. Theoric may have an arrangement with Lady Freya to court Sigyn, but unless he significantly changed his attitude about her, he was unlikely to win her favor. Loki knew he was playing with fire. An arranged marriage was all but set in stone and no one but the Allfather could dissolve it. Loki knew it would amount to nothing except for heartache. Despite having gone two centuries without seeing her, the moment he saw her it felt like no time had passed. He would never admit it to anyone, but Loki had been taken with her since they were teenagers. He made up his mind then and there—he would court Sigyn in a way she deserved. Even if it amounted to nothing, he was resolute in his decision. He smiled slightly and mentally made a checklist of things he would need for their evening rendezvous.

 

********************************

 

Sigyn sat at the dinner table in silent misery with a false smile pasted upon her face. After several failed attempts at conversation that afternoon, she was certain that the rest of her life would be a string of boring dinner parties where she was expected to be smiling blindly on her lord husband’s arm where no one cared what she had to say.

On paper, Theoric was doing everything right. He paid her compliments and presented her with a lavish bouquet of flowers when he had called on her earlier that afternoon. But the compliments were empty fabrications and the flowers had been assembled with no thought to their implications. To Theoric, a flower was a flower. He was too superficial to realize that the bouquet of lavender and begonias he had brought her symbolized danger and suspicion.

So she sat at the table and picked at her food, lamenting her fate. She retired to her chambers as soon as was permissible. She read quietly in her room until she heard Freya go to bed. She dressed silently in a simple pair of tan linen breeches and pale lime shift dress, pleased that she had found something that wasn't blue. She carried her riding boots in her hand and sneaked out the door barefoot since she knew the heels of her boots would echo on the marble floors.

Loki was already at the stables. He was fastening the buckle on the mare’s saddle when he heard her boots on the stone floor. He looked over his shoulder and smiled warmly. She returned his smile with one of her own – the first genuine one she had been able to conjure all day. They mounted their horses and Loki took note that she wasn’t riding side saddle, which her mother would have found appalling. Loki appreciated it. 

Loki led the way out of the city toward the lake. Sigyn recognized the magnolia tree they had lounged under all those years ago. Loki retrieved a decanter of wine and two goblets from his horse’s saddlebags. The moon reflecting off the smooth surface of the lake shone brightly enough for Sigyn to see him, cloaked slightly in shadows. His jawline looked like it had been chiseled from stone. She studied his face while he poured the wine and let her eyes linger on his lips. She felt herself flush as she shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. She took the wine goblet he offered her and ran the tip of her finger across the etched pattern of glass, glad for something to do with her hands. 

 _You are promised to another!_ She scolded herself.

Sigyn noticed they were in a field full of spherical yellow flowers.

 _Acacia,_ she thought. _The flower that represents secret romance. I wonder if he knows that or if I'm just overthinking this._ She was finding it harder to keep her thoughts reigned in.

“Do you remember the last time we were here?” Loki asked her.

“Of course. It was my last day on Asgard,” Sigyn answered.

“I came back here often after you left. It was quiet and peaceful and too far out of the way for my brother to follow and pester me.”

“Now why would Thor ever do such a thing?” She asked, the moonlight reflecting in her violet eyes.

“Well, he had this notion that I was smitten with a daughter of Iwaldi and was heartsick after she was sent home.”

“Vanaheim was never my home.”

Loki smiled to himself. He knew she was tactfully passing over his comment but at least she hadn’t rejected the notion entirely. A comfortable silence fell over them and Sigyn wondered why this felt so natural whereas silence with Theoric was tense and unbearable. The silhouette of an owl passed over the moon. The vast field they were occupying would be an excellent place for that owl to find a mouse for its dinner. 

“Loki?”

“Hmm?”

“Just seeing if you were still awake.”

“Hmmm.” He'd nodded off for a moment. He kept his eyes closed as he leaned against the base of the tree, just like they'd done when they were but children. If it remained quiet, he could easily fall back to sleep. 

Sigyn sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. That slight action pushed sleep from his mind. He wanted to remember this moment in its innocent perfection.  Afraid to move for fear of her pulling away, Loki gently slid his arm behind her and draped his arm across her shoulders. She looked up at him and saw something she had never seen before in those startlingly green eyes – was it desire? She adjusted her position so that she was sitting on the side of her hip, her body turned slightly toward him. He held up his left palm and she placed her right hand flush against it. The moment their hands touched, Loki’s glowed pale green while Sigyn’s emitted a lavender hue.

“Your magic is strong. Your teacher should be proud."

"This has never happened with my teacher," Sigyn said. 

"No, it wouldn't. My mother taught me that a sorcerer's magic is an extent of their emotions. Since you learned your magic from a trained sorcerer, his magic learned yours as you learned it yourself. The same happened with me and my mother. Our seiðr are unfamiliar with the other. They're talking to each other,” Loki explained.

“What are they saying?”

In response, amazed at his own daring, Loki leaned into her and delicately kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm and inviting. He drew back by a fraction of an inch, an unspoken question asked. Sigyn answered by closing the gap between them and pressed her lips to his. The kiss deepened, Loki parting her lips slightly with his tongue. Sigyn let out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a moan. Their hands still clasped, the green and purple light blended as the intimacy between them bore into their very souls.

Loki pulled away first feeling breathless and lightheaded. He hadn't wanted to, but he also didn't want to overwhelm her and risk her pushing her away. Sigyn tried to steady her breathing and to stop smiling like a damn fool. She knew if they stayed under that tree until dawn, she might not have the willpower to resist him. She leapt up and hoisted herself into the saddle and indicated Loki should do the same. She dug her heels into the horse and raced off with Loki in pace beside her.


	4. Chapter 4

They reached the stables and rewarded each of their horses with buckets of oats and a fat carrot. Sigyn busied herself with removing the bridle and saddle from her mare. For the first time, she didn’t know what to say to him. She knew she had been wrong to return his kiss, but she couldn’t help it. It had just felt so… right. So normal. He must have seen the conflict on her face, because he seemed to answer the question she hadn’t even realized she wanted to ask.

“I shouldn't have done that, Sigyn. I don’t expect anything from you. My actions were fully my own and I know you are betrothed to another. I… I’m sorry if I put you in an uncomfortable position.” Apologizing for kissing her felt like bile in his mouth. He hadn’t wanted to apologize for it, but he didn’t want her feeling guilty for it either.

“Oh Loki… I wanted it every bit as much as you did. Norns forgive me, but I still do. I will never love Theoric. My mother has the power to force me to marry him, but she can never make me love him.”

Loki paused to allow her words to sink in. They both sighed.

“It’s late enough that no one should be awake in the palace. I’ll walk you to your room,” he said.

“Is that wise?”

“If anyone sees us, it will appear as though you're walking with your handmaiden.”

“So you’ve mastered the glamouring spell, then?”

Loki grinned in reply.

When they reached the door to her and Freya’s suite, Loki stopped her short before she could reach the door.

“Wait. Before you go, I... I want to show you something.”

He led her past the door and around the corner to the end of the corridor. There was a window with stained glass of the Bifrost in all of its multi-colored splendor. Loki pointed to the wall on the left side of the window. Sigyn stared at it, perplexed. It looked like all the rest of the stone walls.

He took her hand in his and placed her palm on a stone with a sizable chunk missing from it. He muttered something incomprehensible and the outline of the stone glowed lavender.

“It recognizes your seiðr now.”

“What is it?”

Loki listened for any sound in the corridor before answering.

“I’ll show you.”

He placed her palm to the stone again, only this time the stones melted away to reveal a spiral staircase. Loki took her hand and led her up the winding stairs, arriving in a bed chamber with a balcony that faced the very lake they had just spent the past several hours.

Sigyn thought for a moment before realizing where she was.

“This is your private room.”

“Yes. There are two outer rooms one must go through to get to this room, so I am usually not disturbed by surprise.”

Sigyn raised her eyebrows at him.

“I didn’t show you this in attempt to impede upon your honor. I just thought it would be easier to spend time together without trying to find a new place to go each time. It greatly reduces the likelihood of being seen.”

 _But what if I want you to impede upon my honor?_ Sigyn thought, but felt shame the moment she'd thought it. She turned away to face the balcony so Loki wouldn't see her flush.

“If we continue these all-night jaunts, I fear Freya will suspect something is amiss when I fall asleep with my elbow in my breakfast.”

“Well then, I promise not to keep you awake all night again.”

Sigyn smiled and nodded matter-of-factly as if that settled the matter. He walked back down the spiral staircase with her, kissing her hand in farewell when they reached the bottom.

“My Prince,” she said.

“My Lady,” he replied.

 

********************************

 

Nearly three months had passed since the night Loki had shown Sigyn the secret entrance to his rooms. True to his word, he never kept her awake until dawn again. Though Loki was a master manipulator of words – he had simply said she wouldn’t be kept awake but he hadn’t been specific about the rest. Quite often, Sigyn had fallen asleep with him, but always awoke before dawn and sneaked down to her room before Freya was any the wiser. Many nights, they would fall asleep reading at opposite ends of his bed. Sigyn suspected there was some magic involved in her conveniently waking with enough time to get to her room.

And while she had spent many nights laying atop his bed covers, Loki, true to his word, had never attempted to get her into his bed. But oh, how he wanted to. He couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more. Every time he kissed her, he felt the electricity of their seiðr mixing and knew she felt it too. They had become skilled at interacting cordially during the daytime activities. To the unsuspecting eye, they appeared as nothing more than childhood friends reunited.

Theoric’s courtship had continued and was growing more apathetic, which Sigyn had thought to be impossible. By now, it had become a topic of frequent amusement between her and Loki. Meanwhile, Loki silently thanked Theoric for being so dense. Whenever Sigyn complained about something Theoric had (or hadn’t) done, Loki was given the opportunity to learn more about Sigyn’s preferences. He knew she loved orange tiger lilies but hated calla lilies. He knew that she liked to read before going to bed and that she slept on her side. He knew she preferred sweet wine over dry. He also knew that he was in love with her. 

He wasn’t sure exactly when it had happened, but as sure as he knew the sun would rise, he knew he loved her. He had suspected it would happen from the moment their seiðr connected the night at the lake. He had tried to explain it away as lust, but he couldn’t deny it any longer. When he was with her, he felt intoxicated by her very being. When they were apart, he craved her presence. He had to find a way to tell her.

 

********************************

 

The only one who knew Sigyn's secret was her primary handmaiden, Alethia. She had seen Sigyn sneaking into her room a few times shortly before dawn. She coyly asked about it once during Sigyn’s bath. Initially, she denied everything. But since Sigyn had so few friends, she had decided to confide in her handmaiden. To protect her secret, she had done a small bit of magic that would prevent Alethia from revealing anything. Sigyn felt relief at someone else knowing but also tried to smother her feelings of and guilt and shame. She knew she was being unfaithful to her betrothed. Perhaps not physically, but emotionally.

She knew Loki had built a reputation for consorting with loose women and forgetting their names as quickly as he’d learned them (if he had bothered to in the first place). Alethia had worked in the palace for quite some time and had told her probably more than she cared to know. She was not naive enough to think he was innocent in the ways of women—the way he kissed her had shown her as much. Nor was she a maiden, though her mother probably wished she was. She often wondered if the allure to him was that she knew she was doing something forbidden. But then she thought of all those years ago, long before she returned to Vanaheim, long before she was betrothed to Theoric, and knew it was much deeper than that. She had been drawn to him since they were young.  

Sigyn stared at the ceiling while her hair floated weightlessly around her face in the bath. She had never felt so conflicted in her life. Alethia had a towel and a comb ready when Sigyn stepped out of the porcelain tub.

“Alethia, I would be lost without you. When my mind is going in a thousand directions, you at least keep me on track.”

“Have you told him yet?” Alethia asked.

“Told who what?” Sigyn asked without really paying attention.  She was busy drying her hair with the towel and picked up the comb to work out the tangles.

Alethia cleared her throat. “Told the Prince that you love him.”

Sigyn dropped the comb. “I...don’t,” she said, even though she sounded unsure.

“Oh.”

“...Do I?”

“Oh, milady, I don’t presume to know. It was not my place to say anything at all. Just the way you talk about him. You never talk about Theoric that way.”

“Theoric.” Sigyn pondered. 

“Do you love _him_?” Alethia asked.

“Absolutely not,” Sigyn answered firmly without pause.

Sigyn stared at the floor.

“I’d best get your outfit ready for dinner,” Alethia said.

“The green dress, if you please, Alethia.”

Sigyn thought she saw a twinkle of knowing in her handmaiden's eyes, but when she looked again, she it was gone.

“Yes, miss.”

Alethia left the room, leaving Sigyn alone with her head in her hands.

“What have I gotten myself into?” She asked herself over and over.

 

********************************

 

“Loki.”

Frigga’s voice stirred him from the war within himself. He looked up to see his mother studying him with a knowing smile.

“Come and talk with me, my son. It has been too long since we’ve broken our fast together.”

Loki accepted her offer happily. They sat in Frigga’s own parlor with an assortment of pastries and danishes before them. Frigga selected a croissant and said, “Cinnamon apple jam still your preference?”

“Mother… aren’t I past the age for you to still be preparing my bread?”

“Never.”

“Good,” Loki replied, smiling sincerely and accepting the plate from her. He would never admit it, but he treasured time spent with Frigga.

They ate in silence for a moment before his mother asked a question that nearly made him choke on his croissant.

“Are you ever going to tell her how you really feel about her?”

“Am I… t-tell who…what?” Loki spluttered.

“Oh Loki, you can have your tricks and your illusions but I’m your mother! I know you better than anyone. Did you honestly think you could keep it hidden from even me?”

She stared at him with piercingly blue eyes and an amused expression upon her mouth. Loki was resolute in saying nothing—not to protect himself, but Sigyn. If anyone found out she was consorting with another who was not her betrothed, she could suffer incredible humiliation. Not to mention the wrath that Freya would reign down upon her. Loki wouldn't put anything past Freya if Sigyn brought shame upon her family. 

“My son, we may live for thousands of years, but still… you get one life to live. Don’t spend it in bitter regret and loneliness.” 

Loki took a few calculated breaths before speaking.

“Mother… she is betrothed to Theoric.”

“Do you love her?” She asked.

“It is pointless.”

“Do you love her?” Frigga persisted.

“So much it hurts.” 

"Loki, let me ask you something and I implore you to be complete honest. I know you’ve had your fair share of trysts and I am sure Sigyn is no maiden. But I need to know what your intentions are with her—if they are simply lust and the thrill of the chase or if you truly believe you could commit yourself to this woman for the rest of your days.”

“Mother, I have loved her since we were children.” He felt both relief and anxiety at finally having said it out loud. 

Frigga paused a moment, then took her son’s hand in both of her own. She had taught him his magic and knew his seiðr probably better than he did. She murmured inaudibly and turned Loki’s palm to the ceiling. Two distinct spirals rose from his hand that seemed to be made of a mixture of light and smoke. One was Loki’s signature emerald color and the other… the exact shade of amethyst as Sigyn’s eyes.

Frigga smiled and seemed satisfied, letting go of Loki’s hand, which caused the spirals to vanish. 

“Well that settles it.”

“Ah… settles what, exactly?” Loki asked.

“You have her magic in your heart. This is incredibly rare, Loki. Two people can spend their entire lives in love, yet their seiðr never bonds like yours and Sigyn's has."

Loki wasn't sure what to say. All he could do was wonder if his magic was in her heart as well. 

"So... what now?" He asked his mother. 

“Now I shall speak to Freya. Her betrothal to Theoric will be dissolved before nightfall.”

“But… can you do that?”

Frigga laughed. “My son, I am the Queen. Freya's brother is only a member of the royal court. I could simply order it done and it would be so, without her being able to utter a word in protest. But Freya is a businesswoman. She makes her decisions based on strategy, not emotions. She arranged Sigyn’s marriage to Theoric to suit her own agenda of securing her bloodline into a position of power on Asgard. Now which would you think she would rather? Her daughter wed to a soldier of the Crimson Hawks… or to a Prince of Asgard?”

“A prince who shall never be crowned king…” Loki said somewhat bitterly.

“A prince nonetheless,” Frigga said stubbornly.

Loki’s heart felt lighter than it had in days. He was trying not to betray his outer composure for fear that something would go wrong.

“Very well. But I have one condition,” he said.

“You usually do.”

“It will not be another arrangement handed down from Freya like an order. I wish to ask her properly.”

Frigga’s eyes brimmed with joyous tears as she hugged her son.

“Wait until I tell your father,” Frigga said happily. Loki groaned.


	5. Chapter 5

“Sigyn! Get in here NOW.”

Freya’s voice was as cold as ice. Sigyn set her book down and timidly walked into the parlor between her and her mother’s rooms.

“Is there anything you care to tell me?”

Sigyn looked at her mother with a blank stare.

“Let me clarify. Is there anything you’d like to share with me as to why the Queen just informed me that your betrothal to Theoric has been terminated?”

Sigyn’s mouth fell open in genuine shock. What did this mean? She had a thousand thoughts battling for the forefront of her mind. Surely Freya would be able to hear her heart pounding from across the room.

“The Queen…?” Sigyn lost the ability to speak in complete sentences.

“Yes, stupid girl. The Queen. She informed me just now. The Allfather has ordered your betrothal to Theoric is no longer.”

“Did she say why?” Sigyn desperately needed a glass of water… or a large goblet of wine.

“She simply said it no longer pleased Asgard’s interests to have such a union.”

Immediately, Sigyn’s heart plummeted. If she was no longer engaged to Theoric because Asgard’s interests had changed, she was likely going to have to return to Vanaheim.

“Mother, I swear I don’t know.”

“Perhaps if you had spread your legs for Theoric like you had the Alchemist’s son on Vanaheim, you’d still be engaged to him!”

Freya’s words stung Sigyn like a poisonous venom. She turned and fled from the room. She ran blindly, not paying attention to where she was going, just so long as it was as far away from her mother as possible. She collided with something or someone-she wasn’t sure-but before she could fall to the ground, a pair of strong hands grasped her shoulders and steadied her.

“Lady Sigyn, what in the nine realms has upset you?”

She recognized the voice as Thor’s. She looked up and wiped her tear-streaked face and realized she was in the stables. Thor had been giving his snowy white steed a proper grooming after returning from a strenuous training exercise.

 _He would have a white horse_ , Sigyn couldn’t help but think.

“Oh, My Prince, forgive me. I should have been paying better attention where I was going.”

“Nonsense. I still want to know who aggrieved you so as to make you weep in such a fashion.”

“It was nothing," she said, waiving a hand dismissively. "Just my mother and I…” Sigyn trailed off when she saw another rider enter the stables. Loki sat atop his midnight black stallion and smiled at her, not realizing anything was amiss.

Thor turned to see what had caught Sigyn’s eye. When he turned back to face her, his smile was so wide, Sigyn thought she might be blinded by the whiteness of his teeth. 

“Well, please excuse me, my Lady. There is to be a banquet tonight! I must needs make myself presentable, lest my mother serve ME up with an apple in my mouth!”

Loki finished tending to his horse and approached Sigyn with a warm smile.

“My Lady.”

“Is there somewhere we can speak? Alone?” She asked, not bothering with formal pleasantries. 

Loki took a cautious look around, saw no one, and pulled her into the tack room at the back of the stable. The moment the door closed, fresh tears escaped her eyes.

“Sigyn, my darling, what's wrong?” Loki asked, eyes full of concern.

“Your mother called off my betrothal to Theoric.”

Loki tried to feign surprise. He gently took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and lifted it so she was looking into his face.

“Is that not a good thing?”

“No!” She cried. “My engagement to Theoric was the only reason I’m on Asgard! I would have hated being married to him, but... norns forgive me, I was desperately trying to find a way to get out of it and still stay here... with you. Now I’ll be sent back to Vanaheim since my _wicked_ mother has no further use for me! I’ll never see you again!”

She clutched Loki’s overcoat in her hands and sobbed into his chest. It pained Loki to see her suffering like this.

 _Please, Sigyn. Please trust me. Just be at the banquet tonight,_ Loki thought desperately.

“What did your mother say to you?” Loki asked, fearing the worst.

Sigyn told him about the comment Freya had made about the Alchemist’s son. Loki looked slightly uncomfortable but then chided himself. He knew Sigyn wasn’t a maiden. His hatred for her mother deepened as he held her and listened to her sobs. His heart nearly broke for her. Her crying lessened and she hiccuped as she tried to catch her breath.

“Please don’t cry. We will find a solution. I’m not letting you get away that easily, dýrr hjarta.”

She mustered a weak smile at the term of endearment he had coined for her. Literally translated, it meant ‘dear heart’. He used it interchangeably with ‘beloved’ or ‘darling.’

“Oh Loki, what are we going to do?”

 _Just you wait until tonight, my love,_ Loki thought.


	6. Chapter 6

Sigyn stood in front of the full-length mirror studying her reflection while Alethia finished pinning her intricately braided hair to the top of her head. Small tendrils of wispy curls framed her face. She had used a little of her seiðr to amplify her eyelashes and adorn her face with modest eyeshadow. She rarely wore makeup, but Alethia had insisted that Sigyn look exceptional. Alethia went to get more hair pins while Sigyn chose a gown. She had written off anything with blue in it, which left her with very few choices. Her eyes lingered on an emerald green chiffon dress. She knew without a doubt it had not been there the day before. She decided to throw caution to the wind and didn’t care what anyone inferred from her wardrobe choice.

The dress, a halter style that left her shoulders bare, was form fitting around her bust with a golden belt. The neck piece made an X formation at her collarbone. The dress fanned out at her hips and moved elegantly when she walked.  It left her entire back exposed and clung to her waist seductively. When she stepped into her gold shoes, the front hem of the dress just touched the floor; the back had a modest train. She waved her hand and sparkling lilac thread wove itself into a swirling pattern along the train. She added some gold bangles around her wrist and decided she was ready.

“Oh milady! You are going to turn so many heads tonight!” Alethia commented as she returned to the room.

 _I would be satisfied with just one,_ Sigyn thought.

"Alethia, do you know where this dress came from? I've never seen it before."

"One of Queen Frigga's handmaidens dropped it off this morning while you were in the bath, milady."

Sigyn grinned, took a deep breath, and made her way to the ballroom.

 

********************************

 

“You seem tense, brother. Are you well?” Thor asked genially.  

“Hmm? Yes, fine. Just preoccupied,” Loki answered.

Thor suspected there was more but knew better than to press the matter. When Loki was agitated it was best to leave him be. The only other person who seemed preoccupied was their mother, and she was even more elusive than Loki.

The banquet was to honor Thor and the Warriors Three for a phenomenal victory in securing the Asgardian borders from would-be invaders. There was to be a formal dinner followed by wine and dancing.

Odin stamped the butt of his staff to the floor, the formal call to order. Everyone was seated and dinner was served. Loki saw Freya sitting halfway down the table with the rest of the council members. His spirits fell when he didn’t see Sigyn. If she didn’t show up, this whole evening would be ruined. Only he and Frigga knew that the evening was more than a celebratory banquet. Even Freya didn't know.

His nerves were wrecked—he barely ate a thing. The meal seemed to take a lifetime. Finally, the table was cleared and the festivity migrated from the banquet hall to the ballroom. Never passing on an excuse to drink and be merry, Thor led Sif to the dance floor with his somewhat maniacal smile.

 _Does he ever stop smiling,_ Loki wondered?

Suddenly, he felt a pull from the opposite side of the ballroom. He was now almost as in tune to her seiðr as his own. She entered alone, scanning the room from the foyer entrance. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He noticed immediately that she was wearing his colors and felt a longing he couldn’t put into words if he tried. In the past, he had desired women but that longing evaporated as soon as he’d bedded them. This was different. This was a desire to steal her sorrow and pain and bring her only joy and happiness. This was a need to see her smiling face every morning for the rest of his life. _This is love,_ he realized.

He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. Standing up a little straighter, he crossed the room. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. He stopped about five feet from her and bowed. She curtsied as he offered his arm to her.

“My Lady, you would do me a great honor if you would dance with me.”

She nodded formally and took his arm. As he led her to the ballroom dance floor, he could already feel curious eyes on their backs. He resisted the urge to laugh – after all, it was only yesterday that she was betrothed to Theoric, which was public knowledge to the entire kingdom.

“Loki, do you even know how to dance?”

He feigned offense, placing a hand to his breastplate with an elaborate scoff before answering. “No.”

Sigyn laughed despite the tension she felt in her abdomen.

“Well thank the norns that I do!”

She expertly maneuvered them into a waltz, all the while making it appear that Loki was leading. It really wasn’t hard at all – she simply focused her seiðr with his. She essentially was teaching him the dance through their magical link.

From across the ballroom, Thor was standing next to Frigga and tapped her elbow. She turned her attention to the direction he pointed and beamed.

"Mother, you shouldn't encourage this," Thor warned. 

"Encourage what?" Frigga answered with a knowing smile. 

"Mother, please. I know Loki well enough to know he is positively smitten with that girl... and she with him. Were she anyone else, I would care not, but she is betrothed to a Crimson Hawk. Our family does not need that kind of scandal."

"Take care, my eldest. Your information is out of date."

"My information... what does that even mean?"

"It means that the events of this evening are surely going to surprise you, Thor." 

“I'm already surprised. Loki doesn’t even know how to waltz!” Thor exclaimed.

"Do you?" she mused.

"Well of course not! I am a warrior not a dancer."

“I knew that girl would be good for him," Frigga said quietly. 

Sigyn was enthralled by the dance. She had promised herself she would keep her emotions in check but she was struggling with that promise. Her heart would shatter if she had to go back to Vanaheim and leave all of this, leave him, behind. She was actually surprised that Freya had not swooped down and separated them by now.

She was overwhelmed by it all – the music, the dancing, the perfection of it all. Loki looked down at her and she realized her dress was the exact shade of his eyes. So far during their dance, Loki had kept his hand resting lightly on her hip. As they spun on the dance floor, he moved his hand to her back and she shivered when his fingers brushed her bare skin. In that moment, she forgot that she was in the grand ballroom of the Asgardian palace with a thousand eyes watching them. She leaned into Loki and placed a light kiss on his mouth.

 _I’ll probably be sent home in the next few days anyway, so I have nothing left to lose,_ she thought.

Loki leaned his head down so that his lips were millimeters away from her ear.

“You shouldn’t kiss me like this… unless you mean it like that.”

“I do.”

Loki pulled her closer to him and whispered, “Then kiss me again.”

Sigyn obliged happily, pressing her mouth to his once more. He returned the kiss with gusto, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her slightly off the floor. This time, both she and Loki heard gasps from around the ballroom.  

Her face flushed but she did not pull away from him. He set her down and wordlessly took her by the hand, leading her to the ballroom balcony. She half-sat, half-leaned on the edge of the railing while he stood in front of her.

“If you could, would you remain here, on Asgard?”

“Oh Loki, you know I would. But after tonight, I can almost guarantee my mother will have whisked away on the Bifrost tomorrow at first light.”

“Ah, that’s where you would be wrong, dýrr hjarta.”

She looked at him inquisitively. 

“Sigyn Iwaldidottir, I love you. I knew not what love was until you taught me. I could walk the nine realms for a hundred lifetimes and would never find another such as you."

As he spoke, her heart hammered against her rib cage so hard she feared her ribs would crack from the pressure. From the corner of her eye, she noticed movement. Several ball guests, including Loki's own brother Thor, were peering over one another's heads to see what was happening, not caring how conspicuous they were.  

Loki reached into a small pocket inside his inner tunic as he lowered himself to a knee. He held took her left hand in both of his. "I would swim and sail on savage seas with never a fear of drowning and gladly ride the waves of life if you would marry me.”

Then all at once, it felt like all the air had been vacuumed from her lungs. She swallowed and took a breath. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She didn't know if it was because of the proposal itself or because the words he had chosen were the very same ones she had read aloud centuries ago from a book in the library. She remembered it well; she used to sing it to herself after she'd returned to Vanaheim. Finally, she found her voice.

"My dearest one, my darling dear. Your mighty words astound me. But I've no need of mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me."

Loki's signature smile appeared from the corner of his mouth. "So... is that a yes?"

"That's a yes," Sigyn assured him. 

He produced a ring that he delicately slid onto her hand. The band was matte black with lavender swirls and perched atop it was a smooth jade stone. Sigyn knew it to be the same stone she had given him by the lake all those years ago. 

“I love you, Loki,” she whispered.

He stood and kissed her deeply, placing one hand behind her neck and moved it so that his fingers got tangled in her hair. His other hand pressed firmly to her bare back, pulling her as close to him as possible. She opened her mouth and felt the heat from his tongue as she ran her hand down the length of his chest. She heard him groan when she reached his abdomen. She wanted him in every way known to the nine realms.

While he still had a fragment of self-control, he wrenched his mouth from hers. He hated himself for it, but he knew Frigga would be expecting them to return to the ballroom to make the announcement and he told Sigyn as much. She playfully bit her bottom lip and spoke to him with her eyes, which begged him to take her upstairs to his chambers and ravage her.

“By the norns, woman. You’re going to be the death of me and we aren’t even wed yet.”

She laughed and forced herself to take long, deep breaths with her eyes closed. Finally, her breathing and her heart rate returned to normal. Loki took her by the hand and led her back into the ballroom.

When they reached the rest of the royal family, Loki hadn’t even had time to utter a word. Frigga embraced Sigyn warmly while Thor clapped Loki on the back and said, “Well done, brother. She is a thing of beauty to behold.”

"Wha-?" Loki looked perplexed. Frigga, of course, had known of his intentions, but how did Thor know before he'd had time to come tell them? 

"Thor may or may not have been spying on us on the balcony," Sigyn explained, noticing Loki's confusion. 

Loki shot Thor a reproachful glance, but Thor simply shrugged. "It was Sif's idea."

Odin grasped Sigyn warmly by the shoulders and kissed her on both cheeks. "My son could not have made a better match if he'd tried." 

"That is kind of you to say, Allfather," Sigyn replied respectfully.

"Now come, we must make the announcement," Odin ordered. 

Frigga was already standing on Odin's left side. As the eldest and heir to the throne, Thor's place was to Odin's right. Since he was used to being nearer to his mother, Loki grasped Sigyn's hand and moved to stand next to Frigga. Odin held his hand out to stop Loki and stared pointedly at the floor to his right - where Thor would usually stand. But Thor had already moved to stand next to their mother. "Tonight, Loki," Odin said, "we honor you and your bride-to-be." Loki slowly, apprehensively, took his designated position on Odin's right. He felt more nervous about this than about proposing to Sigyn. He had spent hundreds of years wondering how it would feel to be Odin's firstborn and heir. Now that he was standing in Thor's usual position, he wasn't sure he liked it. It felt wrong. Odin leaned toward him and said, barely audibly, “I am proud of you, my son.” Loki could count on one hand the number of times he'd heard those words. His musings ended, however, when Odin brought the butt of his spear to the floor for a second time that evening. Every face in the ballroom turned toward them. 

“My Lords and Ladies of the court and honored guests, it is my sincerest pleasure to announce to you all the engagement of Sigyn Idwaldidottir and Loki Odinson.”

The ballroom contained faces of various states of shock, awe, and surprise, followed by tumultuous applause. Odin and Frigga withdrew to their thrones on the raised dias. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif were among the first to congratulate them. Freya stood a short distance away and said nothing. She did not look pleased, but she also appeared to have stopped looking displeased. Sigyn turned to Loki and said, “How did you do this?”

Loki gave her a questioning look. “My mother was furious when the engagement with Theoric was called off," she explained. "How did you win her favor?”

Loki looked sheepish for a moment before answering. “I didn’t. The Queen knew of my affections for you and she had my father dissolve the engagement. I didn't ask her to! When my mother gets an idea in her head, she becomes rather stubborn and no one can talk her out of it."

"Well, at least I know where you get that from now," Sigyn teased.

"Believe me, I did not initially like the idea."

Sigyn's confusion was visible. "Why not? You couldn't have wanted me to marry Theoric?"

"Of course not! But I also hated that you might think I used my position as son of Odin to get what I wanted."

"Oh, Loki, I don't think that at all."

"Yes, but others will," Loki said slightly bitterly, voicing a concern that he'd had for some time.

"Others are going to formulate their own opinions no matter what. And let them," Sigyn said defiantly. Her mother appeared to be avoiding them. 

"Well," Loki added, "I don’t believe Freya knew of my intentions to make you mine.”

Sigyn thought for a moment and huffed, “Well, she should be satisfied. Instead of a soldier, I’m marrying a Prince of Asgard. I am sure the only reason she is not pleased is because this brings me genuine happiness. But you know it is you and not your title I care about. I would still choose you even if you were a stable boy.”

“Never mind her, dýrr hjarta. Your uncle Frey intends to return to Vanaheim on the morrow to inform your father. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him, but my mother seems to think he will be delighted.”

"My father is much more sensible than my mother. I will be glad for you to finally meet him."

They accepted well wishes and congratulations for another quarter of an hour before they retired for the evening. Frigga had hugged Sigyn once more, kissed her on both cheeks, and whispered, “I cannot wait to have you as my daughter.”

Once they were out of the ballroom and away from the prying eyes of half the kingdom, Loki swept her up into his arms and whispered a spell. They vanished and reappeared in his chambers.

“Nice parlour trick,” Sigyn said.

“Wait until you see my next one,” Loki replied, a gleam in his eye that made Sigyn understand how he came to be known as the God of Mischief.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I struggled with the decision of whether or not to have them get intimate before the wedding and whether or not to write it. I ended up deciding to have them go to bed together on the night of their engagement. In my mind, they’ve committed to each other and since neither of them were virgins, it wasn’t like she was holding out for “the big night.” I’ve never written anything remotely smutty, so I decided not to include it in the main story. It’s posted as a companion one-shot in my other stories if you care to read it.
> 
> Also, I struggle with describing clothes. Below is the link to my inspiration for Sigyn's dress in this chapter.  
> https://i.pinimg.com/564x/cd/c7/d4/cdc7d435f5a15daf10d40b12fe5e55cf.jpg
> 
> For the dance, I was inspired by Toby Keith's song "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This".


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter takes place thirteen months after the engagement announcement.

Loki pinned his ceremonial cloak to his formal armor. He laced his boots tightly and ran a hand through his hair for the hundredth time that day.

“You look nervous, brother,” Thor remarked.

“Have you ever gotten married, Thor?” Loki snapped.

“No… but so far, neither have you,” Thor retorted.

“Just… shut up. Please?”

“My my, aren’t we testy.”

“Thor, you don’t understand. For the last six months, I’ve been waiting for… how do Midgardians say it? For the other shoe to drop? I keep waiting for her to wake up one morning and realize she could do better.”

“Better than what? Brother, for everything else you are, you’re royalty. I doubt she could find better than that.”

“Not my title, Thor. Better than… me.”

Loki looked crestfallen, which took all the fun out of teasing him. He sighed and sat on a bench at the foot of his bed, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

“Loki, we may have our differences and do not always see eye to eye, but I believe the Lady Sigyn truly loves you.”

“I know she does… I just haven’t been able to figure out why.”

“Besides the fact that you worship the ground she walks on?”

Loki made a half-hearted sound in his throat that could have been a laugh.

“Brother, the truth of it is that most of us in positions of power have our marriages arranged for us, with very little or no choice. Consider yourself fortunate enough that you are marrying not only the woman of your choosing, but one that you love and have her love in return. Consider that a blessing.”

Thor had caused Loki no shortage of headaches and annoyance in the past, but in this moment, he was grateful for his brother. His mood improved significantly and he turned to look at Thor with more optimism than he’d had in days.

“Isn’t it a tradition for the groom to get drunk with his brother before the ceremony?” Loki asked, his eyes glinting with his trickster soul as he produced two mugs of ale from thin air.

“Now that’s the spirit!” Thor roared.

 

********************************

 

Sigyn sat at her vanity and distractedly ran her thumb along the band of her ring. She was thinking about Loki. Since their engagement, he had gotten reprimanded more than once by the Allfather for getting into mischief. His worst offense had been his causing Baldr’s death, and his punishment had been severe.*

Sigyn shivered as she remembered his screams whenever she’d had to go empty the bowl. When Thor had finally come for them, she was shocked to learn they had only been down there for two weeks. Loki still had scars from where the venom had burned and blistered his skin. And yet, she had felt compelled to stay with him, though many had tried to persuade her otherwise. Thor, Odin, even Loki himself had begged her not to subject herself to his punishment, as she had had no part in his actions. But she had been resolute in her decision to remain at his side always, regardless of what he’d done. For her dedication, Odin had proclaimed her the Goddess of Fidelity.

From her mirror, she saw Frigga approach her. Sigyn stood and warmly embraced the queen.

 _My soon-to-be good-mother comes to visit me when my own does not,_ Sigyn thought.

“Are you nervous?” Frigga asked her.

“No. I know it is natural to be, but in truth, I am anxiously excited to finally become his wife.”

“Sweet Sigyn. The norns blessed my son eternally when you gave him your heart.”

“He says he does not deserve me.”

Frigga smiled but looked slightly sad. “Loki has always questioned his worth. He feels guilty whenever he feels true happiness. I have always believed that his tricks and mischief have been as much of a cry for attention as a camouflage for his vulnerability.”

Sigyn nodded understandingly as she reached for the hair pins. Loki preferred her hair loose and curled, but tradition called for there to be at least one plait in the bride’s hair. She had spent the past few evenings trying different styles on her hair and developed a compromise of sorts. Her hair was quite long; it reached almost to her waist. She separated a section of hair on both sides of her head, just above her ears. She braided each side and brought them together at the back of her head. Frigga reached for the pins and helped Sigyn secure the braids in place.

“The first time we spoke of our love to each other was when he asked for my hand in marriage.”

“He told me.”

“He did?”

“Yes. Loki has always confided in me, although, I foresee that will change after today,” Frigga said, but she smiled as she did so. “He also told me that long before you spoke the words, your seiðr formed a bond much more intimate than words. That does not happen often. Two people can love one another without their seiðr ever bonding. The magic has to choose the other person. Once it does, it remains bonded, until one or both souls perish.”

Sigyn pondered over that for a moment.

“My Queen, am I a fool?”

“A fool?”

“For forgiving everything he does and will do. Neither one of us believes that he will change completely just because we are wed. Do not misunderstand me—I don’t believe he will be unfaithful. I just worry that I will be seen as the idiot girl who either turns a blind eye to her husband’s antics or is ignorant to them entirely.”

“No, child,” Frigga answered her. “You would be a fool if you tried to change him into something he is not. And likewise, if you tried to change yourself. Loki is impulsive, rash, and mischievous. You are steadfast, loyal, and levelheaded. You two are well matched for one another because you compliment each another’s shortcomings. He needs you just as much as you need him. Remember that.”

Sigyn turned around on her vanity bench seat and faced the queen.

“Thank you.”

“No, my dear, thank _you_. Thank you for loving my son. You may feel that you are the fortunate one to have won the favor of the prince, but I assure you, you have been a blessing to him.”

“When my mother arranged my marriage to Theoric, I feared my life was over. I would have become a trophy, to be seen and not heard, trapped in a loveless marriage with no purpose other than to produce sons. Loki saved me from that.”

“As I said, you two need each other… Now! Let’s get you dressed!”

 

********************************

 

“Thor, if I vomit on my bride, I will not rest until I have eviscerated you.”

Thor laughed heartily. “Oh brother, you fool no one. We both know you can erase your intoxication with your magic.”

“That’s… beyond the point,” Loki said while sobering himself immediately with his seiðr.

Thor looked at his brother with a ‘told you so’ expression. A knock at the door signified the Crimson Hawks to escort the princes to the throne room. One of them was Theoric.

Loki suppressed a snort of laughter. The irony was too great.

“Your Highnesses,” Theoric said somberly.

“Oh, sound more cheerful, Theoric! This is a happy occasion!” Thor roared.

“I assure your majesties, I am most cheerful. Better you than me,” he said, giving Loki a pointed look.

Loki lurched up from the armchair with a murderous look. Thor reacted simultaneously, throwing his arm out in front of Loki's chest, catching him and gripping his shoulder firmly. Thor rounded on Theoric and spoke with authority.

“Remember your place, soldier, and take care what you say.”

“Or you may no longer have a tongue to say it!” Loki added sharply.

Theoric tried to recover himself and said, “I meant no disrespect, your majesties. I simply meant I am pleased, as I know you are, that my betrothal to the Lady Sigyn was terminated. I would have been a piece in Lady Freya’s game and we all know there was no love lost between her daughter and I… Besides, I find parties and banquets frightfully dull and your majesty is already obligated to attend them, so it really is rather favorable.”

Thor kept one hand firmly on his brother’s shoulder and watched for a reaction.

Loki sneered at Theoric.

“Yes, fool, I’m marrying her purely for the convenience of it all,” he said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

“Theoric, resume your station. My brother and I can find our own way to the ceremony,” Thor ordered.

Theoric bowed and retreated, having enough respect to look ashamed.

Loki shook his head with disgust as Thor retrieved their helmets. It was customary for all proper regalia to be worn during any formal ceremony. Loki donned his horned helmet and turned to Thor, who was already wearing his winged helm.

“How do I look?”

“Like a cow.”

“Really, feathers?”

The brothers laughed as they headed toward the throne room.

 

********************************

 

Loki stood on the uppermost step of the throne dais. Thor stood to his right, one step below him. Odin Allfather stood directly in front of the throne.

 _Probably the only time I shall ever stand above Thor on these stairs,_ Loki thought to himself.

The throne room was full of Asgardians and honored guests from Vanaheim. A hush fell over the crowd as the colossal double doors opened at the opposite end of the hall.

Iwaldi entered with Sigyn on his arm. She wore a gown of pure gold. The dress was one shouldered, gathered at her waist and pooled around her feet. The fabric resembled liquid gold which had already begun the cooling process. From her hip, a portion of the gown was cut away, covering her right leg with sheer golden silk covered with golden appliques in a swirl pattern.  Her right shoulder was bare and a shimmering cape fell from her left shoulder. Her honey colored hair fell in waterfall curls to her waist with the sides braided and pinned to the back of her head with an ornate emerald clasp.

She was a vision. Loki’s breath caught in his throat. He locked his eyes with hers as she seemed to glide towards him.

 _She is too good for this world. How could someone so pure and whole find it in her heart to love such a fractured soul as mine…_ Loki wondered.

She reached the dais and Odin’s voice, magically magnified, echoed in the cavernous room.

“You all are present this day to bear witness to the union of Loki Odinson and Sigyn Iwaldidottir. I, Odin Allfather, ask you, Iwaldi, if you are in accord with this union and give your daughter’s hand freely?”

Sigyn’s father answered formally, “I, Iwaldi, agree to the union of Loki Odinson to my flesh and offspring Sigyn. May she serve as a faithful wife and devoted companion until Valhalla calls her home.”

Iwaldi kissed Sigyn’s cheek and she ascended the stairs to stand facing Loki. Loki took her hands as both turned to face the Allfather.

“Let the bride and groom proclaim their vows to one another.”

“I, Loki Odinson, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee Sigyn Iwaldidottir to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my chosen one. To desire thee and be desired by thee, to possess thee, and be possessed by thee, without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, be you ailing or well, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself.”  
  
“I, Sigyn Iwaldidottir, by the life that courses within my blood, and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, Loki Odinson to my hand, my heart, and my spirit to be my chosen one. To desire and be desired by thee, to possess thee, and be possessed by thee, without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, be you ailing or well, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself.”

As they spoke, their seiðr rose from their clasped hands. Green and purple light grew until it surrounded them in a sphere.

“By the power vested in me by Yggdrasil, that which unites us all, I pronounce you bonded for life,” Odin concluded.

Loki released her hands and placed his gently to Sigyn’s cheek, kissing her with conviction.  The hall broke into thunderous applause and cheers. Sigyn couldn’t have stopped smiling even if she’d wanted to.

At the celebration following the formal ceremony, the wedded couple received felicitations from a seemingly unending line of guests. Thor made an ostentatious show of kissing Sigyn on both cheeks, proclaiming, “SISTER!” loudly with glee.

The meal was served on fine crystal dinnerware. Sigyn sipped wine from a chalice that sparkled brighter than a diamond. She lost count of how many toasts were made in hers and Loki’s honor, but the one she would remember always was from her own husband.

Loki stood and looked down at his wife, still seated.

“Sigyn, my dýrr hjarta. I swear to you that I shall steal, lie and cheat.”

Several faces, Sigyn’s included, looked at him with bewilderment. 

“I swear to steal away your pain and sorrows. I swear to lie with you and only you all the nights of your life. Finally, my darling, I swear to do everything in my power to cheat death, for I could not bear to live a day without you.”

Sigyn felt her heart swell and feared it might burst from the love she felt for her husband. She stood and kissed him, earning a cheer from the guests.

Thor approached them a few moments later.

“Well done. With your little speech, you only raised the standards for the rest of us. From now until the end of time, every maiden will expect her husband to top that.”

“I love her, Thor. I never imagined someone like her would happen to me.”

“I am happy for you, brother. It would appear you have finally found someone to match you not only in wit but magical abilities as well,” Thor said sincerely while clapping a hand to Loki’s back in an affectionate gesture.

“Indeed. You should be grateful that my wife is a kind benevolent woman and not driven by malicious ambition.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“Because her magic is truly formidable. Imagine how much more amplified her power is when it unites with mine...”

Thor cleared his throat and said hastily, “yes, well, I doubt I need to hear about that any further.”

Loki chuckled as Sigyn joined them.

“What has amused you so?”

“Nothing, darling. I do believe we have made enough of an appearance to satisfy our guests. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Oh, indeed. Shall we retire for the evening, husband?”

“Hmm. Not entirely, wife,” Loki responded with a desirous gleam in his eyes. He pulled her to him and in a flash of green and violet light, they vanished from the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: One sex scene was enough for me. It was incredibly hard to write and I just don’t think I can bring myself to write another one. Sorry guys. I’ll leave it up to your imaginations.
> 
> *Nearly everyone knows the story of Loki’s punishment with the snake’s venom, so I didn’t feel the need to go into detail about it. If you’re not sure, there’s plenty of info about it on Google.
> 
> I based Sigyn’s wedding dress from a photo I saw on Pinterest. Here is the link if you’d like to see: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c9/e5/dd/c9e5dd5e26cb75ab5af4ef8590593e7f.jpg
> 
> I found the vows here: https://www.documentsanddesigns.com/vows-and-verses/celtic-wedding-vows-and-celtic-blessings/ and the bit Loki says to her afterwards is from the movie “Leap Year”. I don’t own any rights to anything I used from an outside source.

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first fanfiction I've ever written and I welcome any constructive feedback you may have. Let me know what you thought!


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